Dr. Patrice Keats
I have two main research interests--traumatic stress studies and counsellor education. My primary scholarly work focuses on the effects of witnessing trauma firsthand and vicariously (e.g., photographic or film images, written accounts from survivors, viewing evidence of a disaster). This research leads to a greater understanding about secondary traumatic stress (STS) symptoms and coping with traumatic material.
Secondarily, I am researching aspects of counsellor education as they relate to the culture of counselling and methods used to teach theory and practice. Other research interests include: visuality, somatic psychotherapies, counselling children, cultural studies, qualitative research methodology, and expressive group-based trauma treatments (e.g., therapeutic enactment).
I currently maintain a private counselling practice that is focused on trauma related issues using group and individual therapy practices. Additionally, I offer supervision for counsellors in the field.